Digimon Adventures + Digimon Adventure tri. ~ (AUTISTIC HEADCANON!) KOUSHIRO IZUMI Character Analysis (Japanese version) {see Part 3 of Autistic!/Neurodivergent!Koushiro canonical traits here} (links to previous parts beginning from Part 1 are included in that link)
+ a Special Interest in KNOWLEDGE in general - including Tech & Computers! + STIMMING (a means of Stimulation) / In His Natural Environment
READ FURTHER: What is a Special Interest?
Special interests are (not named) literally a part of the diagnostic criteria for Autism. From the DSM-V directly: Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus Note: abnormal in intensity or focus that means that if “everyone” has special interests, they aren’t ‘abnormal’ in intensity or focus, because that’s everyone. In the examples, directly from the DSM-V, specifically referring to interests: excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests (circumscribed=restricted perseverative=repeat insistently/redundantly)
from the Autism Self Advocacy Network page:
Every autistic person experiences autism differently, but there are some things that many of us have in common.
We think differently. We may have very strong interests in things other people don’t understand or [don’t] seem to care about. We might be great problem-solvers, or pay close attention to detail.
{... Do I really need more references for the above paragraph???}
It might take us longer to think about things. We might have trouble with executive functioning, like figuring out how to start and finish a task, moving on to a new task, or making decisions.
{This will be covered in the below, but keep in mind, Autistic traits can >>>VARY in Autistic people. From here, we’ll partially be focusing on “executive functioning”. Even in regards to other aspects mentioned, Koushiro isn’t necessarily bad at making decisions, [he is the one determining most of the team’s Strategy, after all] but at times even in the overall canon, he CAN take at least a little time trying to determine if he’s taking the best route.}
Routines are important for many autistic people. It can be hard for us to deal with surprises or unexpected changes. When we get overwhelmed, we might not be able to process our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, which can [also] make us lose control of our body [/body functioning].
{See: above gifs of Koushiro being most at ease & overall CALM when in his uninterrupted, daily routine.}
[and when Koushiro’s {...possibly Special} Interest in KNOWLEDGE, FAILS him...]
{ “I CAN’T DO ANYTHING!
I’M IGNORANT AND INCOMPETENT...” }
[Note: I’m pretty sure “crap” was a mistranslation on Crunchyroll’s part but.]
{“I’M IGNORANT! IGNORANT!
I CAN’T DO ANYTHING!
I CAN’T... I CAN’T, I CAN’T!}
{he’s still repeating “I Can’t!” with increasing distress.}
{Tentomon, knowing Koushiro best, not long after helpfully points out right after that MAYBE, Koushiro-han, you are maybe just a bit overwhelmed in the moment} (see: final gif of the initial photoset, above)
We process our senses differently. We might be extra sensitive to things like bright lights or loud sounds. We might have trouble understanding what we hear or what our senses tell us. We might not notice if we are in pain or hungry.
{We might not notice if we are [in pain] or hungry. ...Let’s be real, Koushiro Izumi is TERRIBLE at SELF-CARE.}
We might do the same movement over and over again. This is called “stimming,” and it helps us regulate our senses. [...]
{see above gifs: Koushiro in his natural environment, the gist being: Koushiro stims via means of extensive Special Interest usage.}
{In the scene from the start of Episode 06, Koushiro is quite literally moving in and exclaiming there what he misses most from home, as it’s the current topic of discussion among the Chosen.}
{“THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING OBSESSED WITH COMPUTERS! THAT TRAIT IS WHAT MAKES YOU WHO YOU ARE.” - Mr. Masami Izumi gETS IT}
We communicate {SPEECH} differently. {*may include: through the overall use of technology.} [...] Some people may also communicate with behavior or the way we act. Not every autistic person can talk, but we all have important things to say.
{this side of Koushiro using his tech knowledge to communicate, is made a bit more prominent in Adventure 2020, but you can see it somewhat existed in the original too he clearly uses the Internet for better online socializing in a way he can’t do as effectively in offline life.}
{“I ... I want to send emails back and forth with my FRIENDS.”}
We socialize differently.
Some of us might not understand or follow social rules that non-autistic people made up. We might be more direct than other people.
{ Part 1 of this analysis dealt with Koushiro’s missing social cues it tends to happen with Mimi and Taichi the most. To a lesser extent, it kind of also happens with Koushiro+Tentomon. }
Eye contact might make us uncomfortable. We might have a hard time controlling our body language or facial expressions, which can confuse non-autistic people or make it hard to socialize.
from the Digimon Adventure novels by Adventure director Hiroyuki Kakudou (the novel can be found at website Digital Scratch with translation credit to onkei kun!): [Italics & bolding mine for emphasis]:
Throughout the entire bus ride, Mimi Tachikawa was so absorbed in gossiping with her friends Taako and Mi–chan that she never bothered to look at the gradually changing scenery outside her window. Nor was she interested in doing so anyway. If you were to ask her later what landmarks the bus went through to get to their campgrounds in Mikami Canyon, she would have told you that she had no idea. “Okay, we’re here!” [...] “The group you belong in is listed on the printout I gave you before we left. Your leaders will be wearing arm bands with their names on it, so find them using that and stick with your group. After that, listen to what your leader tells you. That is all.” Mimi looked down at the official–looking printout in her hands. In felt–tip pen was handwritten, “Kido Group (Leader: 6th Grade, Jou Kido)” “Hey, do you know who Kido is?” Mimi asked Taako, who was sitting next to her. Taako’s handout had “Arihara Group” written on it. “Kido–san would be…” Searching outside the window, it wasn’t long before Taako pointed, “Over there!” The boy she was indicating was dressed neatly in an open–collared shirt and an Ivy League–styled vest. Besides wearing glasses and the arm band that signified he was a leader, his shoulder was burdened by a square–shaped bag labeled “Emergency Food Supply.” Perhaps he was also feeling the heavy responsibility that came with being a leader because his face looked a little stiff. “Hmm… He doesn’t seem that reliable…” Mimi mused, but she was interrupted by Mi–chan, who motioned to them hurriedly, saying, “Look, look!” Mi–chan was pointing at the front of the bus, where a boy wearing a long–sleeved orange shirt was about to get off. Even Mimi knew who he was. They hardly ever talked together, but he was her classmate, Koushiro Izumi. Mi–chan wanted them to look at what Koushiro was carrying on his back – a wireless laptop. “Isn’t he so weird for bringing that all the way to camp?” Mi–chan sneered with mocking laughter, but Mimi didn’t laugh. She simply didn’t find any reason to.
(*Note: while the novel is a highly condensed form of the original TV series, it contained many ideas Kakudou said/claimed he could not include in the final version; he then used the novels to elaborate on those ideas in an alternative form of media/enjoyment for the series.)
{So hey, speaking of early Adventure!Koushiro & SOCIALIZING...}
Some of us might not be able to guess how people feel. This doesn’t mean we don’t care how people feel!
We just need people to TELL US how they feel so we don’t have to guess.
{Koushiro’s issues with Communication honestly require another entire meta, because it also deals with how he speaks using overly-formal, “technically” polite but not-typical-for-actual-conversational Japanese in the original version for basically almost all of Adventure (1999). Despite this, he also clearly has many issues understanding how other people feel in regards to deeper communication, in general.}
{“What’s more appropriate for me to say at a time like this?”}
{“That’s a difficult question. But I don’t think you have to PUSH yourself to say THE WORDS.”}
We might need help with daily living. It can take a lot of energy to live in a society built for non-Autistic people. We may not have the energy to do some things in our daily lives. Or, parts of being Autistic can make doing those things too hard. We may need help with things like cooking, doing our jobs, or going out.
{Note: This can also apply to things like shopping for necessity items, like ... clothing. This can especially be the case if we’re behind on what’s considered “trendy” or “fashionable”, and being behind on said things can be due to socializing issues.}
{Mrs Izumi didn’t exactly help in that department}
{Despite him admitting this, and even making his own clothing-choosing program for himself, which quite honestly had enough actually fashionable choices included, he ... still needs assistance from Takeru.}
{ Honestly, some of those outfits were fine. }
{“I never imagined!” Tentomon pls PATAMON PLS} [ok but let’s be honest, Tentomon is a BEST BUG] {also take note of Koushiro’s colorful striped socks in the scene}
{”Yeah! Please tell him MORE, Jou-han! He won’t listen to a word I say.”}
We might be able to do things on our own sometimes, but need help other times. We might need to take more breaks so we can recover our energy.
{Thankfully Koushiro’s friends look out for him. (Koushiro is curled up passed out on the right, under blanket) Ever since this timeframe of Tri happened, They’re also seen constantly helping picking up around his office knowing he’s overworked and stressed / or when he’s in general, out of his routines. Tentomon also routinely brings him food and drinks/Oolong tea.}
{”I know you are overworked and have trouble with these things, including daily functioning while under stress in general, so I’m helping you because you’re my friend!” [”Even if I technically don’t fully remember you yet!”] - Tentomon, likely} - gif above, a Koushiro & Tentomon moment from the 6th & final Tri movie from the same Autism Self Advocacy Network page:
Not every Autistic person will relate to all of these things. There are >>>lots of different ways to be autistic. That is okay!
Autism {overall} affects how we think, how we communicate, and how we interact with the world.
(Someone:) {often} Question: But they never used the WORD that Koushiro’s Autistic!
This may be true. However, please keep in mind: a) Digimon Adventure was a childrens’ Shounen anime series from 1999. b) Autism diagnosis happened a little differently back in 1999, and has changed to improve diagnosis drastically since. c) Koushiro is living in Japan, as he is Japanese. Please consider that Autism diagnosis has improved since 1999, this would include for Japan itself. Please consider that it was hard enough for many Autistic people to get diagnosed in the U.S. during this timeframe. This does not mean that the writers could not have recognized traits and patterns of Autistic people that were known at the time.
from the Autism Self Advocacy Network page:
Autism has always existed. Autistic people are born Autistic and we will be Autistic our whole lives.
Because of myths about Autism, it can be harder for Autistic adults, Autistic girls, and Autistic people of color to get a diagnosis.
But anyone can be autistic, regardless of race, gender, or age.
Autistic people are in every community, and we always have been. Autistic people are people of color. [...] Autistic people are a part of every religion, every income level, and every age group. [...]
This post also addresses this issue quite well.
Q: I have another Neuro-divergent headcanon for Koushiro. Is this ok as long as I am RESPECTFUL towards Autistic headcanons?
YES, absolutely, so long as in regards to Autistic headcanons you are RESPECTFUL.
Specifically because a word like “Autistic” is never used directly, it’s fine for others to headcanon Koushiro with something like, for example, general Anxiety / or Social Anxiety, or A.D.H.D! There is also a lot of crossover between such Neuro-divergent traits - You can also easily headcanon him as Autistic AND A.D.H.D, for example! (I personally choose to headcanon him with Autistic & Anxiety myself.)
The problem comes from when Allistic (not-Autistic) people/fans try to completely invalidate Autistic!Koushiro headcanons as a whole, because THEY personally don’t like Autistic!Koushiro headcanons and thus feel, for some strange reason, an intense, burning need to either a) comment on them or b) overly-harshly criticize them.
Q: Why did you create this analysis series then?
Because I want to end said stigma against Autistic!Koushiro headcanons, a stigma that’s often most pushed by either Neurotypicals or Allistic people in the Adventures fandom, and it genuinely needs to stop.
Q: I don’t mind the Autistic headcanon, but I genuinely think he’s BETTER and more INTERESTING as Autistic + (other headcanon) or (specifically not Autistic + other headcanons entirely!)! No offense meant it’s just My Opinion!
Please don’t do this. This is also very invalidating. It makes it come across as if you don’t think Autistic headcanons are “interesting” on their own and like you think Autistic headcanons are “boring” in comparison to others. {which can also come across as you thinking Autism is “boring” in itself} it costs 0.0002 cents to not compare your headcanons to Autistic headcanons.
This specific analysis I’m doing, aside from pointing out the initial generally Neuro-divergent traits; focuses purely on an Autistic!Koushiro reading of the canon. I could have also pointed out why I also genuinely feel Autistic + Anxiety headcanons can very much be a canon reading as well. I chose not to. This is because out of most Neuro-divergent headcanons, Autistic!Koushiro tends to have the most stigma against them, usually due to fans falling for myths about Autistic people and Autism diagnosis and having an extremely basic surface-level understanding of Autism as a result.
This analysis is seeking to change that.
Autisic!Koushiro headcanons on their own are perfectly fine, because Autism on its own is a perfectly fine reading of how he acts in canon.
As long as it’s portrayed RESPECTFULLY, that’s what matters.
[NOTES: THIS IS A FAN META POST. This is also my particular headcanon / analysis of Koushiro Please keep this in mind before you comment This post was made with the intention of pointing out CANONICAL character traits of Koushiro in the various media, regardless of wider headcanons. There is a bit further commentary in the tags of the original post in regards to headcanons. If you choose to read this post / commentary, please be respectful. Please be aware I am making this post and speaking as someone who is AUTISTIC & Neuro divergent MYSELF.]
{While I am grateful this series is now gaining some positive reception, I respectfully ask that you do not comment on the post or tags with canon hate or use these headcanons as reasons for further bashing canon.} {PLEASE read everything carefully before commenting. Thank you}
(FINAL NOTE: This and this are also very good posts.}
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